Port Clinton girls make free throws count in win

PORT CLINTON – Even when Port Clinton’s girls basketball team has had rough shooting days from the floor, its free-throw shooting often has led to victories.

Saturday’s game was another case of the Redskins taking advantage at the free-throw line. They made 23-of-30 en route to topping Sandusky Perkins, 54-41, in Sandusky Bay Conference action.

Coupled with Oak Harbor’s win against Clyde, Port Clinton (17-2, 8-1) now has a two-game lead in league play with three games left.

“I told the girls I thought it was the best defensive game we’ve played in a while, especially the first half,” Port Clinton coach Toby Bickel said. “Offensively, we turned it over a few times. But we also made some good plays offensively.”

Emily Ashley made 12 free throws for the Redskins en route to a game-high 22 points; she also grabbed six rebounds. Bethany Urban had a double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds).

“We were feeling good,” Ashley said. “We knew it was a big game that we needed to win. We were all in a really good mood and ready to play. I think that showed on the court.”

The Pirates (10-8, 5-4) led 9-6 after Ariana Burrows scored with 3 minutes, 40 seconds left, but Port Clinton responded with the next nine points.

Port Clinton’s defense was especially stingy in the second quarter, allowing just two points.

“We just wanted to close out, get a hand up, and challenge their shots,” Bickel said. “The shots they did hit were shots when we lost them. They kind of had free looks at the basket, but when we closed out and got a hand up, we did a good job challenging their shooters and making them have to hit shots with a hand in their face.”

The Pirates’ offensive woes did nothing to help. Perkins made 5-of-26 (19.2 percent) shots in the first half, including 1-of-13 (7.7 percent) in the second quarter.

“The first half was brutal for us,” Perkins coach Ray Neill said. “Give all the credit to Port Clinton. They get after it and play defense as good as anybody we’ve played all year. We knew that was their (modus operandi) all year — man-to-man, in-your-face-defense and we settled for step-back, 15-footers and they don’t give you a chance on the boards, either.”

Port Clinton opened its lead to 17 points after two free throws from Ashley and led 35-21 after three quarters.

The Redskins led 45-29 but consecutive 3s from Hallee Smith prompted a timeout from Bickel. Smith scored after one of Port Clinton’s 19 turnovers to cut the lead to eight with 1:40 left, but a score from Adrianna Hall and seven consecutive freebies from the Redskins put Perkins away.

“To my girls’ credit, we came out in the second half and got after it,” Neill said. “We had no answer for Emily Ashley.”

Senior point guard Hannah Weaver tossed in nine points for Port Clinton, which has won back-to-back games since its only league loss to Oak Harbor.

“We played really good defense and picked it up because we knew they were good shooters and we needed to close out hard on them,” Ashley said. “I think we did that and stopped them which was good for us.”